High velocity weapon



a 5 1969 J. J. SCANLON. JR. Em 3,459,101

HIGH VELOCITY WEAPON Filed Nov. 9, 1967 @M 3 MN a o u ow ON mm R A w O E T N mmm V Q I "H AMP g P w \\\\\\\\\&

United States Patent Oflice 3,459,101 Patented Aug. 1969 y Filed Nov. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 681,691

lnt. Cl. F416 21/00; F41f 1/00 U.S. Cl. 89-8 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A weapon including a chamber mounted on a gun barrel and containing a caseless charge of propellant therein which partially extends into the path of an oncoming projectile to be ignited thereby.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to a high velocity Weapon and more particularly to a high velocity weapon utilizing a secondary charge mounted on said weapon for increasing the velocity of a projectile fired from said Weapon.

In the past, efforts have been made to increase the velocity of a projectile. Most of these efforts have been directed to the addition of powder to the original charge contained in the cartridge case. It was found, however, that in direct proportion to any increases in the original powder charge, there is a dangerous increase in internal pressures occurring within the firearm on discharge of the projectile.

Other methods for increasing the velocity of a projectile, have included the use of the hot gases of the traveling projectile igniting secondary charges along the path of the barrel. In cases where this method was employed, the increase in velocity was minimal because of the location of the projectile when the secondary charge was ignited.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means for increasing the velocity of the projectile as much as Another object is the provision of a high velocity weapon utilizing secondary charge means to increase the velocity of the projectile.

A still further object is to provide a high velocity Weapon utilizing a secondary charge to increase the velocity of a projectile which is initiated by direct contact With said projectile.

The above objects as well as others together with the benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the detailed description set forth below, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawing annexed hereto in which is shown a sectional side view of the present invention.

As can be seen in the drawing, there is shown a gun barrel 10 of a weapon (not shown) having a plurality of screw threaded, removable chambers 12 and 14. Contained in each of said chambers 12 and 14 is a charge of molded caseless propellant 16 and 18 having a primer composition 20 and 22 attached in a known manner to said molded propellant 16 and 18 at an end extending through orifice 24 and 26 having an annulus and 27 thereon, and into the passageway 28 of the gun barrel 10. The top portions 13 and 15 of each chamber 12 and 14 are screw threaded and removable to allow for the insertion of the charge therein.

Shown at the left hand portion of gun barrel 10 is a standard caseless 7.62 mm. cartridge 30 having attached at its forward end a projectile 32 and inserted in its rearward portion a primer 34. It should be noted that a conventional cased round could also be utilized.

In operation, when the weapon (not shown) containing for example the standard caseless 7.62 mm. cartridge 30 is fired, the primer 34 which is ignited in a known fashion, ignites the molded propellant 36 of the cartridge 30 thereby propelling projectile 32 down the passageway 28 of the barrel 10. When said projectile 32 strikes primer portion 20 of charge 16, a secondary detonation is produced thereby giving a boost to the velocity of projectile 32. When projectile 32 strikes primer 22 of charge 18 the same result will occur thereby additionally increasing the velocity of projectile 32. Additional chambers, similar to 12 and 14 could be utilized along the length of the gun barrel if additional increases in velocity were required.

The size of the charges 16 and 18 could also be increased if additional velocity was necessary and the number of chambers was limited.

The standard caseless 7.62 mm. cartridge has been disclosed in the patent application of Quinlan et a1. entitled Uniformed Density Caseless Cartridge, Ser. No. 477,044, filed Aug. 3, 1965, now U.S. Patent No. 3,345,945. The composition of charges 16 and 18 would be the same as the composition of the projectile described in the aforementioned patent application.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. A weapon for firing a projectile at increased velocities including a gun barrel having an axial bore therethrough,

at least one chamber mounted along the barrel in open communication with said bore and forward of said projectile,

an explosive charge fixed within said chamber, and

primer means fixed to said charge and extending within said bore, and explosive means for initially propelling the projectile through said bore whereby the projectile will strike the primer means thus producing a secondary detonation which will increase the velocity of the projectile.

2. A weapon of the type described in claim 1 wherein :aid explosive charge includes a molded caseless propelant.

3. A weapon of the type described in claim 1 wherein said primer means includes a primer composition integral with said molded caseless propellant.

4. A weapon of the type described in claim 1 wherein said chamber is removably mounted to said barrel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,009 10/1892 Haskell 89-8 1,477,078 12/ 1923 Rimailho 898 X 2,360,217 10/ 1944 Francis 898 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 89-1 

